Hudson Valley farms shape the pastoral landscapes that give this region its unique sense of place. But the appeal of this beautiful countryside for residential development is undermining our farms. A 1997 report by the American Farmland Trust ranked the Hudson Valley as one of the 10 most threatened agricultural regions in the country.
In 1995 Scenic Hudson began to apply its land conservation tools and experience to save the valley's farmland. We have protected more than 4,800 acres of farmland in seven communities throughout Columbia, Dutchess, Orange, and Ulster Counties. (Columbia County: Stuyvesant 2466a, Stockport 174a, Clermont 230a, Olana Viewshed 373a; Dutchess County: Red Hook 1393a; Orange County: Warwick 134a; Ulster: Marlborough 57a). Funding for these projects also includes grants from the USDA Farm and Ranchland Protection Program and local sources of public funding -- both county and town.
Currently we are working with the towns of Red Hook and Stuyvesant to expand the critical mass of protected farmland in those communities. We are partnering with Ulster County to protect its precious agricultural resources, as it seeks to implement its own farmland protection program. We are also partnering with the Town of Warwick to protect farmland using a match of private dollars with local funding. And we continue to explore new opportunities to help proactive communities leverage public and private dollars to safeguard their farms.
New - Read about the 2005 Agriculture Conference: Agriculture in the Hudson Valley: Innovations.
To learn more about Farmland Protection visit Overview, In the News, Get Involved and Related Links. |
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| Scenic Hudson has helped protect more than 4,800 acres of working farmland in seven communities throughout Columbia, Dutchess, Orange, and Ulster Counties. |
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